Monash University today joined the Victorian Minister for Health, the Hon Mary-Anne Thomas, to announce the expansion of the Victorian Government’s Chemist Care Now program.
Associate Professor Steven Walker from Monash’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences stood alongside the Minister and President of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia – Victoria, George Tambassis, to highlight new conditions added to the program, along with the introduction of Monash’s Graduate Certificate of Pharmacist Prescribing.
The postgraduate course will equip pharmacists ready to join the State’s prescribing workforce, with a focus on developing core prescribing skills relevant to the management of 22 primary care clinical conditions such as common ear infections, dermatitis and asthma.
The Monash course has been designed in collaboration with the University’s Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, along with international partners, drawing upon longstanding expertise in prescribing education. It has been built to meet a nationally consistent approach to prescribing education, with the curriculum being shared across the National Alliance for Pharmacy Education (NAPE).
Enrolments opened on 24 November and attracted an exceptionally strong and immediate uptake, including applications from rural, regional and interstate pharmacists.
Associate Professor Steven Walker, the Faculty’s Director of Experiential Development and Graduate Education (EDGE), said Monash welcomed today’s announcement and looks forward to working with pharmacists to ensure they have the skills needed for responsible prescribing.
“Today’s announcement to broaden the Chemist Care Now program underscores the growing role pharmacists play in delivering accessible care. Our course combines practical, hands-on learning with rigorous, validated assessments, including supervised practice, to ensure pharmacists are ready to support this expanded scope safely and effectively,” Associate Professor Walker said.
“We commend the Victorian Government for its continued investment in this important initiative and welcome the opportunity to work together to improve access to essential healthcare services for Victorians, no matter where they live.”
